Fuse clip



Oct. 18, 1932.

J. G. JACKSON 1,883,790

FUSE CLIP Filed Oct. 28. 1929 INVENTOR I 7060 GQJZw/son BY 5 5 'IM 2:. gI v ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 18, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN G.JACKSON, 01 DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO SQUARE ID COMPANY, OFDETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN FUSE Application filedOctober 28,

Thisinvention relates generally to electrical appliances and hasparticular reference to means for supporting cartridge fuses with in acircuit in such a manner that a good electrical contact is insertedbetween the fuse terminals and the fuse contact clips irrespective ofinaccuracies incurred during the installation of the clips.

In the present state of the art, cartridge fuses are held in the circuitby spaced fuse contact clips having parallel rectangular Walls arrangedin juxtaposition to each other" and adapted to yieldably embraceopposite sides of each fuse terminal. When contact clips of the abovetype are used for mounting fuses upon a support, it is essential thatthe cooperating clips for engaging opposite fuse terminals are securedto the support in such a manner that the gripping walls thereof are inaccurate alignment with each other so that the entire contacting surfacearea of these walls properly engage the fuse terminals.

In the event that the gripping walls of the co- 1 operating contactclips are not in alignment, it will be obvious that only a portion ofthese walls will engage the fuse terminals, affording only a partialcontact with the latter and thereby reducing the efiiciency of thecircuit. Furthermore, it frequently happens that when the fuse terminalsare forced between cooperating contact clips having misaligned walls,the latter are deformed with the result that the fuse is not properlyheld in place. Thus it will be observed that extreme care andconsiderable time must be taken in mounting cooperating clips of theabove type to the support so as to insure proper aligning of the fuseterminal gripping Walls.

The present invention contemplates eliminating the foregoingdisadvantages and reducing the cost of installation as well as forming amore efficient mounting for the fuse by providing contact clips havingfuse terminal engaging portions shaped to present line contactsirrespective of any misalignment existing between the clips.

A further advantageous feature of the present invention is to provide afuse mount-- ing of the above character wherein the clips are providedwith fuse terminal grippingc CLIP 1929. Serial No. 463,071.

portions which in addition to presenting line contacts irrespective ofany misalignment between the clips are so constructed that the pressureexerted upon the fuse terminal by the gripping portions of the clipsisactua-lly increased by misalignment of the c ips.

With the foregoing, as well as other objects'in view, the inventionresides in the peculiar construction of the clips which will so be mademore apparent as this description proceeds, especially when consideringthe accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view partly in section of a cartridge fuse mounted inaccordance as with my invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 22of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 illustrating the action of thefuse gripping W clips when the latter are secured out of alignment.

Figure 4'is a perspective view of a fuse gripping clip.

Referring now to the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figure 1,the numeral 10 designates a fuse disposed between an electrical supplyline 11 and a circuit 12. The fuse is preferably of the cartridge typehaving laterally projecting substantially fiat $0 terminal portions 13and 14 engageable respectively in clips 15 and 16 which in turn areconnected to the supply and circuit lines 11 and 12 respectively.

Inasmuch as both the clips 15 and 16 are identical in construction, onlyone will be specifically described herein. As shown particularly inFigure 4, the clip embodying my invention is formed of one piece ofmaterial which is preferably circular in cross section g0 and isprovided with a substantially U-shaped base portion 17 having legs 18bent outwardly as at 20 to form laterally spaced forwardly projectingarms 21. The arms 21 are return bent or curved inwardly at the outerends thereof forming loops 22 and terminate in rearwar-dly extendingportions 23. The portions 23 are bent into engagement with each otherthroughout the length thereof and ooperate to form the fuse terminalgripping I original position and any tendency to separate the arms isresisted b a force determined by the resiliency an strength of the metalof which the clip is formed.

The clips 15 and- 16 aresecured to a support by suitable fastenerelements 24 with the gripping portions 23 thereof facing each other andspaced apart a distance depending upon the length of the fuse it isdesired to use. After the clips are secured to the support in the mannerset forth above, the terminals 13 and 14 of the fuse are forced betweenthe portions 23. Movement of the terminals 13 and 14 between thegripping portions 23 is accentuated by virtue of the loops 22 whichoperate to guide the terminal portions into clamping engagement with thegripping portions and serve to develop the pressure applied at thepoints of contact by virtue of the spring quality of the clip.

While the gripping portions 23 operate to forcibly grip the terminals 13and l t of the fuse, it will be observed that these portions are soshaped as to permit angular movements of the fuse while either of theaforesaid terminals are clamped thereby without permanently distortingor impairing the clamping action of the same. This is by reason of thefact that the portions 23 are annular and have in effect a rollingengagement with the fuse terminals. The foregoing arrangement isextremely desirable in the event the clips are attached to a support inthe manner indicated in Figure 3, wherein the clip 16 is shown assecured to the support out of alignment with the clip 15. Assuming thatthis is the case and that the terminal 14 is inserted between thegripping portions 23 of the clip 16 before the opposite terminal 13 isengaged with the clip 15, it will be noted that the fuse 10 is merelypivoted, while clamped by the clip 16, until the terminal 13 is in aposition to be forced into clamping engagement with the clip 15. It willalso be ap arent that pivotal movement of either end of the fuse whilethe opposite terminal is clamped, will not bend the latter terminalsince the clip has a rolling engagement with the terminal. It will alsobe observed that by reason of the inherent 55' spring qualities of theclips 15 and 16, the

pressure exerted upon the fuse terminals by the rounded grippingportions of the clips is actually increased when the distance betweenthe contact points increases or in other words when the clips are movedout of alignment.

Thus from the foregoing, it will be apparent that I have provided asimple and efficient fuse mounting wherein it is not necessary toaccurately align the fuse terminal clips upon the support since thegripping portions of the latter are shaped to present ali ed contactingsurfaces irrespective of the1r relative positions. Thisarrangement notonly facilitates and cheapens the cost of installation but also insuresan eflicient contact between the fuse terminals and clips.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a mounting for fuses having terminal contact portions, a cliphaving a substantially U-shaped base and converging arms extending atsubstantially right angles from the arms of the U base and having openreturn bent portions substantially parallel to each other and adapted togrip and hold a terminal contact portion of a fuse.

2. In a mounting for fuses having terminal contact portions, a clipformed of a single piece of material and having a base, and convergingarms projecting at substantially right angles from the base and providedwith return bent portions that are substantially parallel to each otherand are adapted to rip and hold a terminal contact portion of a use.

3. In a mounting for fuses having terminal contact portions, a cliphaving a base, and converging arms projecting at substantially rightangles from the base and provided with return bent portions that aresubstantially parallel to each other and are adapted to grip and hold aterminal contact portion of a fuse.

4. In a mounting for fuses having terminal contact portions, a cliphaving a base, arms projecting at substantially right angles from thebase and provided with return bent portions that are substantiallyparallel to each other and are adapted to grip and hold a terminalcontact portion of a fuse, said return bent portions having opposedrounded surfaces whereby the terminal contact portion of a fuse isadapted to have a rolling engagement therewith.

5. In a mounting for fuses having terminal contact portions, asubstantially U-shaped base, and inverted substantially U-shaped membersconverging from the arms of the U-shaped base and having certainportions thereof substantially parallel to each other for gripping theterminal contact portion of a fuse.

6. In a mounting for fuses having terminal contact portions, a cliphaving a base, and inverted substantially U-shaped arms converging fromthe base and having opposed rounded gripping faces for engagement withthe terminal contact portion of the fuse.

7. In a mounting for fuses having substantially flat terminal contactportions, a clip having a base, and arms projecting at substantiallyright angles from the base and having cooperating return bent portionspro vided with opposed rounded surfaces for gripping and providingrolling bearings for a substantially flat contact portion of a fuse.

8. In a mounting for fuses having terminal contact portions, a cliphaving a base, and arms projecting at substantially right angles fromthe base and having return bent portions for gripping a terminal contactportion of a fuse, opposed faces of said return bent portions beingrounded whereby the terminal contact portion of a fuse may have arolling engagement therewith in a plane substantially parallel to thebase. 1' 9. In a mounting for fuses having substantially flat terminalcontacts, a pair of stationary clips spaced apart a distancesubstantially equal to the distance between the terminal contacts of afuse and each having substantially parallel arms for receivingtherebetween and contacting with the flat terminal contacts of a fuse,the opposed faces of said arms being curved whereby effective linecontact is secured irrespective of misalign- 29 ment between the clipsand/or fuse terminal contacts.

10. In a mounting for fuses having substantially flat terminal contacts,a pair of stationary clips of substantially identical design spacedapart a distance substantially equal to the istancebetween the terminalcontacts of a fuse and having substantially parallel arms for receivingtherebetween and contacting with the flat terminal contacts of 30 a fuseregardless of misalignment between the contacts and/or clips, the armsbeing inherently resilient whereby the pressure ex- I erted upon thefuse terminal contacts is increased upon misalignment of the contacts qand/or clips.

11. In a mounting for fuses having substantially flat terminal contacts,a pair of stationary clips of substantially identical design spacedapart a distance substantially equal to the distance between theterminal contacts of a fuse and having substantially parallel arms forreceiving therebetween and contacting with the terminal contacts of afuse regardless of misalignment between the contacts and/or clips, thearms being constructed so that line contact only between the arms andterminal contacts of a fuse is obtained regardless of misalignment.

In testlmony whereof I aflix my signature.

JOHN G. JACKSON.

